What are your MCAT Diagnostic Score vs. Actual MCAT Score?

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PhoenixAZ

PhoenixAZ

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For those who have already taken the MCAT, do you mind sharing the scores that you received in diagnostic test (or initial practice test) and your actual MCAT score? I just completed the Kaplan diagonstic test, and to my horro, I only scored a 18. I am very worried, scared, and discouraged right now. Please help provide some insights.
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I had a 23, ended up with a 32.
My friend had a 19, ended up with a 33.

Chill out. Breathe deep. Begin systematically studying (I recommend with EK) and re-assessing yourself with practice exams. You're going to be fine.
 
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I'm pretty sure that the Kaplan diagnostic is purposely hard because then students are almost guaranteed to improve (and Kaplan doesn't have to give a refund lol). I scored about 10 points higher on my real test than on my Kaplan diagnostic.
 
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21 diagnostic, 33 real score. However, I had the same verbal score in both my diagnostic and real exam lol


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26 on AAMC practice test before any prep.

32 and 36 on AAMC practice tests after taking a review course offered by the med school I ended up getting accepted to.

34 on the actual MCAT.
 
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First practice test: 20
Actual: 34.

Content review until you're solid, and then just work practice exams until your arms fall off. Breathe, you'll be fine!
 
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I personally feel that diagnostic exams aren't really helpful. In most cases, people aren't going to do well given that they have yet to look at the material. Don't worry about your diagnostic score. Just study hard.
 
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23 on Kaplan diagnostic.
34 on the real deal. Don't worry about the first few practice exams. I trended upwards until I was consistently in the mid 30s. If you put the effort in, you will get the score you want and deserve. I did additional studying outside of the Kaplan course and that worked well for me. Best of luck!
 
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Kaplan diagnostic: 22
Actual: 32

My Kaplan instructor told us that the diagnostic test is designed to give you a lower score than if you had just taken a regular practice test. You get a refund if you score lower on the actual test, so they want to guard against that. Don't sweat it. Just study hard, do practice questions, take tests under simulated testing conditions, and you'll be fine. :)
 
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PhoenixAZ said:
For those who have already taken the MCAT, do you mind sharing the scores that you received in diagnostic test (or initial practice test) and your actual MCAT score? I just completed the Kaplan diagonstic test, and to my horro, I only scored a 18. I am very worried, scared, and discouraged right now. Please help provide some insights.
Click to expand...

Kaplan diagnostic means absolutely nothing. You can improve by 5 points or 25, depending how hard you study. The only purpose for it is to give you a kick in the pants.
 
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AAMC practice tests ranged from 33-39 with an average of 36.

Actual MCAT: 34Q (12P/10V/12B)
 
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i didn't take any diagnostic tests
i bought some of the aamc tests. after studying for a few months, i don't think i scored below a 30 on any of them and averaged around a 33. i got a 37 on the real thing.
 
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Kaplan Diagnostic 18
Took 10 practice tests the best of which was 32
Real thing 32


I was not a normal case. I am non trad and am working to get all me prerequisites done as we speak. I have still not taken Chem 2 or any OChem. While the Kaplan course was a bit pricey, it was worth ever cent.
 
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TPRH diagnostic low 30's, 7 point improvement. The diagnostic tests tend to spit out a low score. The AAMC tests were a much better indicator of your actual performance for me at least.
 
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free Kaplan test (2003): 32
Kaplan diagnostic (June 2007): 30
Kaplan FL (June-July 2007): 25-29 (quit the course because I thought their methods were bs)
AAMC tests (Feb-April 2012): 31-33, 36 on AAMC11

Actual (4/28/12):34R (10P/12V/12B)
 
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Kaplan diagnostic - 22
AAMC average - 32 (n=8)
Real thing - 33

Diagnostics are worthless, especially Kaplans.
 
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kaplan diagnostic: something low and insignificance
average of about 7-8 AAMC tests taken within 3 weeks before real thing: 33
real thing: 33
 
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I took the AAMC diagnostic test before I started studying and scored a 33.

Two months later I took the real MCAT and scored a 36.

I think the lack of improvement tells you exactly how distracted I was that summer.
 
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I wouldn't say diagnostics are worthless. At the end of my freshman year I did an internship and on the first day they made us take the Kaplan diagnostic test. Obviously I didn't have all my prereps done and no one in the program knew we would be taking it so no one studied. smh... but I got a 21. Haven't taken the real thing yet but hopefully I can follow the trend of you guys.
 
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Is that such a bad thing? Fear can be amazing motivation. Especially looking at the scores above. If they were frightened into studying harder to pull their grades up then I think it's a pretty decent plan.
 
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StuartManor said:
Is that such a bad thing? Fear can be amazing motivation. Especially looking at the scores above. If they were frightened into studying harder to pull their grades up then I think it's a pretty decent plan.
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The kaplan diagnostic has questions that are too hard to ever be in a real MCAT. But that 22 really motivated me to study so much for the next two months.
 
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22 diagnostic, 38 AAMC practice average, 37 on the real thing. Don't worry about a low diagnostic score!
 
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I'll just echo what others have said and say the diagnostic is a waste of time. Wow I am so glad I never have to take that test again.
 
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As said before, they purposely make the diagnostic hard so they can sell you the program afterwards so you can save $200 (!!) on a $2000 course. It's like they used only 'hard' style passages (rambling philosophy verbal, bio with lots of confusing acronyms, optics) in every part of the test. I got a 23 on mine and I don't think I could get above a 30 after all my studying.
 
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StuartManor said:
I wouldn't say diagnostics are worthless. At the end of my freshman year I did an internship and on the first day they made us take the Kaplan diagnostic test. Obviously I didn't have all my prereps done and no one in the program knew we would be taking it so no one studied. smh... but I got a 21. Haven't taken the real thing yet but hopefully I can follow the trend of you guys.
Click to expand...

Same here. Took the Kaplan diagnostic during summer after freshman year while doing a summer research program. Has anyone here scored well below their diagnostic score(either Kaplan or TPR) on the real MCAT?
 
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gettheleadout said:
Moving to MCAT Discussions.

Edit: Oh, and I got a 35 on a Kaplan diagnostic without taking organic or physics. I can has a 46?

/brag
Click to expand...

:laugh: Well, *I* got a 36 (11b,12v,13p) after freshman year. :hungover: (but I had already finished all prereqs);)
 
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